Original 1940s German WWII Private-Purchase Leather Officer Trench Coat

Long leather trench coats became a distinctive form of privately purchased outerwear among German officers during the 1930s and 1940s. Bought outside the standard uniform supply system, they varied considerably between makers, with leather offering valuable protection from wind and weather when travelling by motorcycle, open vehicle or working outdoors. Dating approximately to the 1940s, this example is particularly striking for its dark charcoal-grey leather, enormous lapels and unusual twin-buckle waist.

The coat is made from substantial heavyweight leather with a firm, smooth finished surface. Age has transformed the original dark grey beautifully. Smoky grey and warmer brown-grey tones emerge around the shoulders, sleeves, cuffs and belt, while the larger body panels remain considerably darker. Deep creases have settled into the sleeves and waist through wear, giving the coat the unmistakable surface of an original garment that has lived a long life.

Look more closely and the construction becomes increasingly interesting. Sharply pointed leather yokes sweep across either side of the chest, mirrored by a broad shaped yoke across the rear shoulders. The huge fold-back lapels can be brought considerably higher around the neck, while two deep angled welt pockets disappear neatly into the long front panels. At the rear, the uninterrupted leather body falls into a deep walking vent, allowing the skirt to open naturally with movement.

The waist arrangement is perhaps its defining detail. A wide leather belt passes through substantial keepers before fastening through two large rectangular leather-covered fittings, a distinctive construction also encountered on surviving German private-purchase officer greatcoats from the period. Wide buttoned cuff straps and finely piped leather edges continue the same restrained approach, with very little exposed exterior metalwork to interrupt the long charcoal-grey silhouette.

Inside, the coat retains its brown cloth lining and an internal breast pocket closed by an original WUPP metal zipper. WUPP hardware was already being produced before the Second World War for the European clothing and leather-goods industries, with surviving industrial records documenting manufacture by 1937. The WUPP zipper is a particularly good surviving detail, still sitting alongside the original lining and substantial internal construction. After more than eighty years, remarkably little of the coat's original character has been lost.

Condition & Restoration

Very good vintage condition for an original leather greatcoat dating from approximately the 1940s.

The substantial leather remains strong and structurally sound, with natural creasing, rubbing, minor surface marks and extensive tonal variation from genuine age and wear. The original dark charcoal-grey finish has softened locally to smoky grey and warmer brown-grey tones, particularly around the shoulders, sleeves, cuffs and belt.

The lining remains serviceable with expected age-related wear. The period WUPP zipper, leather waist belt and covered fittings, cuff straps, buttons and associated hardware remain present as photographed.

This coat has been specialist leather cleaned and conditioned in-house. As part of the restoration, the leather has also been carefully reshaped to reduce undesirable set-in creasing caused by prolonged wear and storage, restoring a more natural structure and drape without altering the original construction or removing the character of the hide.

Key Features

• Original 1940s German private-purchase officer-type leather coat
• WWII-period construction
• Substantial heavyweight leather
• Smooth dark charcoal-grey finish
• Naturally developed smoky grey and brown-grey patina
• Long Ledermantel silhouette
• Broad high-closing collar and oversized lapels
• Double-breasted wrap construction
• Distinctive pointed front leather yokes
• Broad shaped rear shoulder yoke
• Two deep angled front welt pockets
• Full leather waist belt
• Twin leather-covered rectangular belt fittings
• Broad button-fastened leather cuff straps
• Piped leather edges
• Long rear walking vent
  
• Internal zipped breast pocket
• Period WUPP metal zipper hardware
  

Garment Measurements, Laid Flat

• Chest, armpit to armpit: 22.5"
• Shoulders, seam to seam: 18"
• Sleeve, shoulder seam to cuff: 24"
• Underarm seam to cuff: 16"
• Back length, base of collar to hem: 47"

Best suited to: Approximately a 42" chest / Size medium.

For the best indication of sizing, please compare the measurements above with a similar coat you already own.